Building the Church...at Building Supply Store

I made an early morning trip to Lowes to get some fill dirt for a dippy area by my driveway, and while there, I wandered to the lumber section to check on some specific things I need for a project. As I walked down one of the aisles, there was a man getting 2x4x16s by himself.

"Want some help?" I asked, my leather work gloves in my hand.

He stared at me, and I knew what he was thinking: Girl.

"Be honest," I pushed, putting my hands on my hips so he could clearly see the leather work gloves in my hand.

"That would be nice," he finally said.

I nodded, put on the gloves, moved a cart, and reached up high where the boards were.

"How many are we getting?" I asked as we put another long board on his pile.

"Forty. That is 16."

"Are you framing a house?" I asked as we moved another board to the growing pile.

"Building a wedding chapel."

We chatted and moved boards and counted to make sure and counted again because two equal piles should not make an odd number and then moved some more boards. When we were finished, he thanked me, and I wished him blessings and a good day. He headed toward the front of the store, and I headed toward the boards I needed to check out...smiling...because God allowed me to be part of something amazing. A wedding chapel. Kind of like the delivery ward for life adventures with your best friend. Should be anyway.

Right there in Lowes. Building the church by helping out...and getting to be part of building a church...by helping out.

I'm still smiling.

Then I headed over to Home Depot to get some pavers but headed to the building supplies to pick up some brackets I needed for my project. Wasn't part of my plan, but since I was already there...And I ran into Charles, who is one of my favorite people there. He asked what I was doing today, and I told him I was making low places high so I could get some landscaping done. I asked what he is doing, and he told me about his life and how he is helping his family and working hard to take care of folks and preparing for the next thing so he can take better care of his father who is in his 70s. Then he asked about the kids, which led to our talking about my daughter going into film production because she wants people to see God and Truth especially when Truth is hard and God is...not what you thought. And it happened.

The assembling of the saints.

Right there in the main aisle of the building section. Building each other up in our faith.

Encouraging each other to stay staunch in getting real with God because only when we realize how much we really need Him to change us is the door open for Him to change us for real.

Only in being real do we really find Him and not just a religion.

And we stood there, talking about the importance of sitting with God, confessing our desperation for Him, hearing His heart for us. Admitting the truth that He does not need us, but we crazy need Him.

And there He was. Right in the middle of our impromptu gathering in His name. Oh, my goodness, it was good.

When another customer needed help, Charles went his way, and I got my pavers and came home, but the richness of the morning...of His creative building of His people...still permeates my thinking.

Crazy.

God building the tangible and intangible church...right there in the big aisles of the building supply stores.

Oh, yeah, it was very good.